Post by radovic on May 8, 2008 18:52:07 GMT -5
Macedonia Gets EU 'Roadmap' for Visa Deal
Email a friend
Save article
Print article
Increase text size
Decrease text size
08 May 2008 Brussels_ Macedonia has received a ‘roadmap’ that will pave the way for Macedonians to travel without visas to EU countries.
Michael Leigh, the director for the Balkans at the office of the European Commissioner for Enlargement presented the document to Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Antionio Milososki.
“The roadmap is a balanced approach and it is ‘tailor made,’” Leigh said.
“It identifies specific measures which authorities need to take and we believe that the benchmarks are realistic and achievable,” he added.
Macedonia is a candidate country in the European Union and has a visa facilitation agreement with the bloc which entered into force in January 2008.
Since the beginning of this year, businessmen, students and journalists from Macedonia have been able to get visas for the Schengen zone countries more easily.
The European Commission started technical dialogue with Macedonia on a full visa liberalisation regime in February.
In a separate statement, the European Commission Vice President, Jacques Barrot, welcomed the presentation of Macedonia’s roadmap document.
"I attach the greatest importance to facilitating people-to-people contacts in particular for the younger generation,” Barrot said.
“I am convinced that easy travel conditions will increase mutual understanding and improve our relations in all fields. The roadmap on visa facilitation is certainly another important step towards the EU integration of the candidate country," he added.
Milosoksi pledged that his government would fulfil all conditions that are specified in the roadmap.
“This is good news for us and this roadmap is something that we know how to fulfil,” Milososki said.
He emphasised that many of the conditions have already been fulfilled by Skopje’s authorities including the biometric passports which the Macedonian state introduced almost two years ago and which are in line with European standards.
“We are working with regards to immigration, the fight against organised crime and corruption and the Macedonian government is confident that we are able to fulfill this roadmap in the course of 2008,” Milososki added.
Email a friend
Save article
Print article
Increase text size
Decrease text size
08 May 2008 Brussels_ Macedonia has received a ‘roadmap’ that will pave the way for Macedonians to travel without visas to EU countries.
Michael Leigh, the director for the Balkans at the office of the European Commissioner for Enlargement presented the document to Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Antionio Milososki.
“The roadmap is a balanced approach and it is ‘tailor made,’” Leigh said.
“It identifies specific measures which authorities need to take and we believe that the benchmarks are realistic and achievable,” he added.
Macedonia is a candidate country in the European Union and has a visa facilitation agreement with the bloc which entered into force in January 2008.
Since the beginning of this year, businessmen, students and journalists from Macedonia have been able to get visas for the Schengen zone countries more easily.
The European Commission started technical dialogue with Macedonia on a full visa liberalisation regime in February.
In a separate statement, the European Commission Vice President, Jacques Barrot, welcomed the presentation of Macedonia’s roadmap document.
"I attach the greatest importance to facilitating people-to-people contacts in particular for the younger generation,” Barrot said.
“I am convinced that easy travel conditions will increase mutual understanding and improve our relations in all fields. The roadmap on visa facilitation is certainly another important step towards the EU integration of the candidate country," he added.
Milosoksi pledged that his government would fulfil all conditions that are specified in the roadmap.
“This is good news for us and this roadmap is something that we know how to fulfil,” Milososki said.
He emphasised that many of the conditions have already been fulfilled by Skopje’s authorities including the biometric passports which the Macedonian state introduced almost two years ago and which are in line with European standards.
“We are working with regards to immigration, the fight against organised crime and corruption and the Macedonian government is confident that we are able to fulfill this roadmap in the course of 2008,” Milososki added.